Rail anchor



Patented Nov. l, 1927.

HAROLD G. WARE, or PARK Einen, inninois, Assienon "ro THE P a'ivi COMPANY', ork

CHICAGO, iLLinors, A oonronArioN on .ioiiiivrorsl 'RAIL ANCI-IOR.

Application filed Oct-ober 7, 1926, Serial No.

My inventionrelates to rail anchors and particularly to rail anchors of the one-piece type adapted to grip opposite edges of the base portion of a railroad rail.

The principal object of the invention is to provide, in an anchor of the above character, an improved arrangement and construction of the rail-gripping jaws vwhereby the anchor is maintained in its normal gripping position onvthe rail by reason of an initial stress to which the device is subjected during its application to a rail, and whereby the engagement of one of said aws withthe rail is such that the pressure exerted on the said jaw by the creeping movement of the rail tends to move the anchor transversely of the rail 'to increase the grip of the device on the rail.

Another object is to provide an improved anchor of the one-piece'torsion yoke type in which the yoke is so constructed as to effect an initial shackle grip on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base by reason of an initial torsional stress to'wliicli the anchor is .subjected during its application and to provide an arrangementJ of jaws whereby the torsion of the yoke is partially relieved when the anchor device assumes its rail gripping position.

Another object is to provide, in a rail anchor of the above general character, an arrangement of jaws whereby a relatively wide jaw portion is provided at one end of the anchor device. In this connection I also con- A template the provision of improved constructions whereby the end of the anchor adjacent i the relatively wide jaw is formed with a tieabutting portion which may, vif so desired, bear against the vertical face of a cross-tie adjacent one side of the rail so as to hold the major portion of the yo-ke in spaced relation to said tie. j i

The invention hasf or further objects such other improved constructions iii rail anchors as will appear from the following description of the several embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, and the features of novelty will be set forth in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in several preferred embodiments in the accompanying .drawings wherein j Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base portion of railroad rail showing a rail anchor, conclusive;

140,080, and in Great Britain April 7, 1926;

structed in accordance with my invention, applied thereto.

Fig'. 2 is a face view of theanchor device illustrating the manner in which itis applied to the base portion of a railroad rail and showing the base portion of the rail in section.

Fig. 3 is van end view of the anchor taken from the left vof Fig. 2. v

F ig. 4L is an end viewgshowing the end elevation of the anchordevice and istaken' from the right hand end of Fig. 2.

Fig. ,5 isa; view in perspective of the annormal torsional set of the anchor.

Fig. 6 is a plan view similarV to Fig. 1,

illustrating a modied form of the invention 'Y appliedto the base portion of ar'ailroad rail. Fig. 7 is a face view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6. j

Fig. 8 is an end view taken from the right hand end ofF ig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an end View of the opposite end of the embodiment showiiin Figs. V6to 8 inin Figs. v1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings,

wherein l have shown one embodiment of my invention 'formed from a flat metal blank.

The upper portion of the blank is cut awa'y to provide a recess 10 adapted to receive the base portionll ofthe rail. The recess is so formed as to provide a shortjaw 12 and a long` yjaw 13 adapted to'project over and bear against the upper inclined surfaces lof the rail base at opposite sides of the rail base. rl`he longjaw is preferably bent outwardlyfrom the body of the yoke so; that the eftective'width ofthe recess 10 .underlying this jaw can be increasedv by tilting-the anchor about an axis extending longitudi nallyofthe yoke so as to elevate the 'exv chor device removed from a rail, showing the l' tremity of the long jawi This mea-ns of increasing the effective width of the said recess is utilized, as will be described hereinafter, during the application of the device to a rail. The long jaw is preferably bent outwardlyfrom the body so that, as viewed in plan in Fig. 1, it stands at anr angle of approximately degrees with respect to the body. Under such conditions, the lower edge 14 of the end of the jaw stands at a corresponding angle with respect to the loi'lgitudinal edge of the rail base. With the jaw 13 disposed at the above mentioned or other suit-able angle, the lower edge 14 of the jaw may be be brought to bear flatwise against the inclined upper surface of the rail base by rocking the end of the jaw downwardly toward the rail base. TWith this construction the engagement of the j aw 13 is confined to the edge contact 14, the other portion of the lower edge of the 'jaw 13 being formed so as to provide a clean ance between the jaw and the upper surface of the rail base. The body portion of the yoke adjacent the long jaw is formed with a shoulder 15 which snaps over the lower corner of the rail base when the anchor is moved to its operative position.

The short jaw 12 at the other end of the anchor is formed with an inclined lower edge which inclination is slightly less vthan the inclination of the upper surface of the rail base'. rhe vertical dimension of theY portion of the recess 10 underlying this jaw is preferably such that the normal crushing down of the end of the jaw during the application of the anchor will permit the inclined bearing surface of the jaw and the upper ,edge 1G of the yoke body to take a tight wedging fit on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail. |The jaw 12 is preferably offset with relation to the body of the yoke so that the gripping surface 17 of the short aw will normally be out of vertical alignment with the upper edge 16 of the yoke. TVith this construction, l obtain an effective increase in the width of the bearing surfaces 16 and 17, longitudinally of the rail. In this connection it will be seen from Fig. 4 of the drawings, that the application of force tending to swing the bottom port-ion of the yoke in a direction away from the cross tie 13 will tend to force the forward'cdge 19 of the jaw 12 and the rear edge 20 of the yoke body into tight shackle engagement with the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the rail base.

The jaw 12 is preferably offset along a line longitudinally of the body and project-s outwardly from the side of the body opposite to that from which the long arm projects. The body of the yoke is given a slight torsional set so that the jaws 12 and 13 will normally be atan angle to eac-h other cn opposite sides of the body when the ancho-r s free of the rail.

In applying the yoke to a rail, the jaw 13v is rst hooked over one edge of a rail base as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The anchor may be applied in this position without straining the jaw 13, by simply tilting the lower edge ot the yoke away from the cross-tie, thereby elevating the extremity of the long aw in a manner to increase the effective. width of the rail-base receiving recess. The jaw 13 and the upper edge of the body portion of the yoke may then be brought into gripping engagement with the top and bottom surfaces'of the rail base by tilting the yoke in the opposite direction, to the position shown in Fig. 4. The jaw end 12 of the yoke may be raised so as to clear the upper edge of the opposite edge of the rail base. During this movement the jaw 13 is forced downwardly on the top of the rail base and the body Vportion of the yoke is stressed by a twisting movement of the jaw 12 of he yoke. After the yoke is twisted to such position as will permit the offset jaw 12 to be hooked over the base flange of the rail, the entire yoke is moved bodily transversely of the rail, that is from the dotted line position of Fig. 2 to the full line position. When the yoke is moved to the full line position, the shoulder 15 snaps up over the lower edge of the rail base so as to lock the yoke against movement in the direction from which it was driven. rlhe torsional stress of the yoke is partially relieved by the movement of the yoke transversely of the rail to its applied position. rll`he relief is effected, as will be seen from the drawings, by the downward movement of the long jaw on the inclined surface of the rail base. The angular position of the jaws with relation to each other is, preferably, such that the yoke is stressed a greater degree than relieved by the downw l movement of the long jaw. The torsional stress remaining after the anchor is applied to its operative position tends to rock the jaw 12 in the direction from which it was twisted and thereby effects a shackle grip of the jaw 12 and the upper edge of the yoke body upon the top and bottom su 1faces, respeetively, of the rail base. rlhis torsional grip, however, serves to maintain the yoke in its applied position. Any movement of the anchor in a direction to remove it from the rail forces the long jaw upwardly on the inclined surface of the rail base and thereby increases the torsional stress on the yoke member. The edge engagement 14 of the jaw 13 normally has a biting engagement with the inclined surface of the rail base. rlhis biting engagement, together with the angular position of the edge 14, with relation to the edge of the rail base, tends to increase the grip of the anchor on the rail when the rail is subjected to creeping pressure. rlhis increased grip is effected by reason of the fact that the groove or `furrow produced in the top surface of the rail base by the biting edge 14 of the long jaw exerts a cam action against the edge 14 of the jaw so as to shiftthe anchor rbodily toward. the right of Fig. 2. y The transverse shifting ofthe anchor to the right of the drawing forces the jaw l2 intotighter gripping engagement with the opposite edge of thel rail base. During the transverse shifting movcr ment of the anchor, under the influence of 'the creeping movement of the rail7 the edge 14 of the long jaw will move downwardly on the inclined surface of the rail base and by suoli movement will extend' the groove or furrow along ythe dotted lines indicated by the reference character 21 in Figs. l and 4. In Fig. 4 of the drawing I have shown the end of the anchor moved to such an anglev as to bring the edge 14 of the jaw 13 flat Vagainst the inclined surface of the rail base.

` In addition to the tendency whichv the yoke has to move transversely of thegrail during the presence ofcreeping pressure, the pressure of the lower portion of the yoke against the tie tends to increase the shackle grip f j of the jaws 19 and V2O `(Fig. 3) upon the top and bottom surfacesof the rail base. l In Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, I have shown a modied embodiment of anchor device.

In thismodiication, the bearing surfaces- 'l6f and 17 of the short jaw end of the anchor are arranged in vertical alignment These surfaces, however, 4are somewhat l wider than the thickness ofthemajor portion of the yokebody. The increased width of the short jaw end ofthe anchor,-in addition to providing wide bearing surfaces 16a-17, provides vthe tie abutment which holds the major portion of the yoke away from the ycross tie.y y

rIhe metal Vblanks fromwhich the above embodiment is made are preferably sheared from ametal bar rolled tothe cross-sectional configuration shown in 1l. One edge of the rolled bar, it will be noted,corre sponds in thickness to the thick end porltion 22 of the yoke. Thev width of the rolled metal bancorrespondsto the length of yoke member so that the yoke blanks may be vsheared transversely of the bar asv i shown in outline in Fig. 10. The other portions of this'anchor are preferably the same as that shown in the preceding figures.

In Fig. l2 I have shown another e'iribodi ment in which the'short jaw end 121? of the anchor is offset'onfa vertical 4line 23 with relation to the body of theanchor soA as to provide a tie-abutting surface 24 one end of the anchor.V This tie abutment, it will be noted, holds the long jaw end of the Y. anchor in spaced .relation with the tie.

In Fig. 18, I have shown another einbodiment in which the'ishort'jaw portio'i'i'12c is j Ymade'relatively 'thick by' bending theE end of the blank upon itself, asshown by the reference character 25. f 'This construction provides a short jaw 12c of double 'thick-1 ness.- j f In the modification shown in Fig. l14, the.

' end 26 of the yokei isreces'sedand bent to' asubstantially Uv-shaped .configuration so 'as to provide spaced jaws 121-123 Thespaced jaws 12d-12d take a `r'vedging 't onlthe rail embodiments shown and described except in the 'appended claims. r

Iclaim: f y 1. A rail anchor consistingof a memben in so far as. specific limitations are set forth provided at oppositeends with jaws and y adapted to be movedinfthe direction of its jaws 'into their rail grippingvr positions, one

length transversely of the rail to move said' of which jaws bent outwardly from; the i Vbody of lthe anchor so as to extend longi-` tudinally of ythe rail in a ydirection. away'. kfrom anadjacent crosstie, andl 'which 'engages at 'its' extremity only the top surfacev of the rail base.

2. A rail anchorconsisting of a member provided` at opposite ends with jawsfand adapted to be moved in the Adirection of its length .transverselyof the rail tomove said jaws into their rail grippingpositions, one' of whichjaws is bent outwardly fromthe body of said member so as to extend 'longi-A tudinally of the rail in a direction away from an adjacent cross tie7 andvwhichengages" at `its endonly and 'wit-ha line con-` tact, the top surface -of theV rail base;

are moved transverselyof the rail toV their 3.,A rail' anchor consisting of a'member I provided at opposite ends with ,jawswhich i.

rail gripping positions, one of kwhich jaws y is bent outwardly Vfrom ythe body `of said member so as 'to extend longitudinally of thel rail in a direction awayfrom an ad-V jacent crosstie, andl which is adapted tobe rocked downwardly toward the inclined top surface `of the railb'ase to bring the'` extremity only `of. said ljaw into line Contact with said inclined surface;

4. A rail anchor consistingof a member provi'dedtat opposi't'eendswith jaws which,` v I are'Y moved transversely ofthe rail to their rail gripping positions, one of whichY jaws is bent outwardly the bodif'f Sad.

Y with said inclined surface.

5. A rail anchor consisting of a member provided at opposite ends with jaws which are moved transversely of the rail to their rail gripping positions, one ot which jaws `is bent outwardly trom the body oi' said member so as to extend longitudinally ot the rail in aI direction away from an adjacent cross tie and at an angle to the adjacent edge of the rail base, and which is adapted to be rocked downwardly toward the top surface of the rail base to move the extremity vot said vjaw into biting contact withr the top'surface of the rail base.

6. A rail anchor consistingA of Ya bar oi' spring metal formed at opposite ends with rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end ot the anchor over one edge of vthe rail base, the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely of the rail to engage the other. edge of the rail base; one of said jawsv being formed to extend longitudinally of therrail and adaptedto be moved by said twisting` ot 'the bar into biting `engagement with the top surface of the rail base.V i

7. A rail anchor consisting oi a bar ot spring metal "formed at opposite ends with rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end of the anchor over one edge of the rail base, the bar has to be ltwisted' and moved transversely of the rail `to engage the other edge of the rail base; oneoi3 said jaws being formed to extend longitudinally of the rail and adapted to be moved by said twisting ot the bar into engagement at its end only with the top surface Aoct lthe rail base.

8. A railV anchor consisting ot a of spring metal7 formed at opposite ends with rrail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one endv of the anchor over one edge ot the rail base the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely oit the rail to engage the other` edge of 'the rail base: one of said jaws being formed to extend longitudinally oit the rail and adapted to be moved by said twisting ot the bar into line engagement at its end only with the top surface of the rail base.

9. A rail anchor consisting` of a bar of spring metal relatively thin with respect to its vertical dimension when applied to a ail and formed to provide rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end of the anchorover-one edge of the rail base, the barjhas to be-'twisted and moved transversely of the rail to engage the .other edge Lear/,sas

oi' the rail base; one of said jaws being formed to extend longitudinally of Athe rail and adapted to be moved by said twisting oit the bar into a line engagement with the top surface of the rail base. y

10. A rail anchor consisting of arbar oi spring metal relatively thin with respect to the vertical dimension when applied to a rail and adapted to lie substantially flatwise against one face of a cross tie and formed to provide rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end of the anchor over one edge oit the rail base, the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely ot' the rail to engage the other edge ol' the rail base; one of said jaws being` formed to extend longitudinally oi the rail and adapted to be moved by said twisting` of the bar into biting lengagement with the top surface oi the rail base. c f

l1. A rail anchor` consisting ot a bar of spring metal formed at opposite ends with rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end of the anchor over the edge ot the rail base, the bar has to be twister and moved transversely of the rail to engage the other edge of the rail base; one of said jaws being formed to extend outwardly 'from the body of said member in a direction away Ytrom the cross tie, and the other of said jaws being adapted to project outwardly 'from said body in a direction toward said cross tie.

12. A rail anchor consisting of a bar 'of spring metal relatively thin with respect to its vertical dimension when applied to a rail and adapted to. liey substantially iiatwise againstone face of a cross tie; oneo said jaws being bent outwardly trom the body ot said bar to extend longitudinally of the rail base and at an angle to the longitudinal edge ot said base and the other of said jaws being odset laterally with relation to said bar.

13. A rail anchor consisting of a bar of spring metal formed at opposite ends with rail base engaging jaws7 and formed intermediate said jaws with a torsional set so that after hooking one end ot the anchor over one edge of the rail base, the bar has to be twisted in a direction to straighten out said torsional set and moved rtransversely ot the rail to engage the other edge ot ther rail base; one of said jaws being formed to eX- tend at an angle away trom the body of the bar and in a direction extending longitudh na-lly of the base and bearing at its end only against the top surface of said rail base; and

the other of said aws being oiset with relation to the body ot' said bar so to project from the opposite side'o said bar. v

. lt. A rail anchor consisting or a bar oi' lil() spring metal formed at opposite ends with rail base engaging jaws arranged to be tightened on the rail basevby lnovementotl the anchor in the .direction of its length transversely of the rail, one of saidrjaws being disposed at an angle to the rail whereby creeping movement of the rail exerts a cam action against the end of said angular jaw to move the jaw at the other end of device into tighter gripping` engagementI with the rail base.

15. A rail anchor consisting of a bar of spring metal formed at opposite ends with rail base engaging jaws arranged to be tightened on the rail base by movement of the anchor transversely of the rail, one of said jaws being disposed at an angle to the rail and adapted toy be rocked downwardly toward the top surface of the rail base to effect a line engagement at its end with the upper inclined surface of said base so that said engagement tends to groove the rail when the rail is subjected to creeping pressure and whereby said groove will be formed at such an angle as to shift the rail anchor transversely of the rail to increase the grip of the device on the opposite edge of the rail base.

16. A rail anchor comprising a bar provided with jaws for gripping the rail base at opposite sides of the rail and maintaining the rail base gripping position by torsional force exerted by the bar; one of said jaws being formed to engage the top surface ofexerts a force on said jaw tending to shift it transversely of the rail ina direction to lincrease the grip of the anchor on the rail base. y

17. A rail anchor consisting of a bar of spring metal formed atropposite ends with rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking` one end of the anchor over one edge of the rail base the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely of the rail to engage the other edge of thevrail base whereby the torsional force of said bar, when in its applied position, effects a shackle grip of one of said jaws on the top and bottom surfaces ofthe rail base, and whereby the creeping pressure of the rail against` the other jaw tends to shift the anchor transversely of the rail in a direction to increase the grip of the device on the rail.

HAROLD e. wana. 

